Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-06-09

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thing at all never even heard OF 1t.
Whereas, what are the facts I Why
these: In the battle OF Bonneville
there were 1000 men engaged on the
Union side and about as many on the
other--supposed to be. The casuall-
ties, all told, were two men killed out
right. but only half Of them, FOR the
other man died inthe hospital the next
day. I know this because bis great
uncle was a second cousin TO my
grandfather, who spoke two languag-
es and was perfectly honorable and
upright, though be had warts oil over
him, and used to-but never mind
about that, the facts are just as say,
and can prove it. Two men killed
In the battle Of Bonneville, that's the
whole result, all the others got away
on both sides. Now then, in our bat
tie there WIS just fifteen men engaged
on our side, all brigadier generals but
me, and second lieutenant. On the
other side there was one man. he
was stranger. We killed him. Ii
was night, and we thought be was an
army of observation-in fact ne look
ed bigger than an army Of observation
would in the day time and some OF
US believed that he was trying 70 sur
round us, and some thought be was
going to try to turn our portion, and
SO we shot him. Poor fellow, be
probably wasn't an army Of observa-
ton, after all, but that wasn't our
fault; as I say, be had the look OF 1t i'm
dim light. 1t was sorrowfnl circum-
stance, but he took the chances Of war
and be drew the wrong; be overstima-
tedhis fighting strength, and be suffered
the likely result but be fell as the
brave should fall-with bis face TO the
foe and feet 10 the feld-so we buried
him with the honors of waE-and took
his things So began and 80 ended
the only battle In the history OF the
world where the opposing force was
utterly cxterminated, swept away from
the face Of the earth--to the last man.
And yet you don't know the name of
that battle you don 4 even know the
name of that man. Now, then. for
argument. Suppose I had continued
in the war and gone on as began,
and exterminated the opposing force
every time-every two weeks-where
would your war. have been Why
you see yourself, the conflict would
have been one-sided. There was but
one course honorable for me 10 pursue
and i pursued it. / withdrew to private
life and gave the union cause chance.
There, now, you have the whole thing
in a nutshell it was not my pres
ence in the civil war that determined
that tremendous contest-it was my
retirement from it that brought the
crash. left the confederate side too
weak. And yet, when / stop and
think. I can not regret my course.
No, when look abroad over this hap
py land with its wounds healed and
its enmities forgotten this reunited
sisterhood of majestic states this
freest Of the free ccmmonwealths the
sun in his course shines upon this
one sole country namable in tradition
or history, where's man is q man and
manhood the only royalty; this people
ruled by the justest and wholesomest
laws and the government yet devised
by the wisdom of men ; this mightiest
Of the civilized empires of the earth,
in numbers, in prosperity, in progress
and in promise and reflect that there
is no north, no south any more, but
that as in the old time, it is now and
will remain forever, in the heatrs and
speech of Americans, our land, our
country, our giant empire, and the flag
floating in its firmanent our flag, 1
would not wish it otherwise. No,
when / look about me, contemplate
these sublime results, / feel deep down
in my heart, that / acted for the best
when / took my shoulder out rom
under the confederacy and let it come
down."
He finished in q roar of applause
that shook the room.